The present disclosure relates generally to building management systems and associated devices. The present disclosure relates more particularly to devices, systems and methods for providing a configuration tool for a building management system to allow for a user to configure the BMS using a mobile device.
A building management system (BMS) is, in general, a system of devices configured to control, monitor, and manage equipment in or around a building or building area. A BMS can include a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, a security system, a lighting system, a fire alerting system, another system that is capable of managing building functions or devices, or any combination thereof. BMS devices can be installed in any environment (e.g., an indoor area or an outdoor area) and the environment can include any number of buildings, spaces, zones, rooms, or areas. A BMS can include a variety of devices (e.g., HVAC devices, controllers, chillers, fans, sensors, etc.) configured to facilitate monitoring and controlling the building space. Throughout this disclosure, such devices are referred to as BMS devices or building equipment.
In some existing systems, a dedicated configuration device may be required to configure, program, and/or verify operation of a BMS. These devices may often be proprietary and cumbersome to use. Further, existing tools and devices may provide an interface to a BMS in lieu of a dedicated configuration device; however, the functionality of these devices is often limited. For example, current interface devices may allow a user to view devices and basic information using a laptop or other mobile device, but a dedicated configuration device may be required to modify the BMS, or to perform any advanced functions. Thus, it would be desirous to have an interface device with configuration functionality that would allow a user to configure or modify a BMS via a mobile device.